Let’s claim our country back – May Chee Chook Ying

The last time I checked, Malaysia, our beloved motherland, was a democratic country. I would think that in any viable democratic nation, the overriding basic principle is to procure welfare for all. In other words, the rakyat’s interests come first.

Thousands of us thronged the streets during the May 1 rally to show the powers-that-be that we, the common folk, cannot afford to be taxed further.

How did the minister respond? We’ll tax you, anyway.

Obama came, had some selfie with so-and-so, waxing lyrical here and there but did he hear us? He’s not going to cry for us, let alone die for us. So, is he our savior? Is Najib our savior?

On the contrary, in order to remain in power and to obtain “legitimacy”, our powers-that-be will support the global economic agenda of the superpowers with the USA at the forefront, rather than seek their legitimacy from us, the rakyat.

In exchange for monetary and political support, global corporations will obtain from our government the most competitive environment for them to thrive. Somewhere, somehow at some point, something has to go, no? My best bet – again the welfare of the rakyat will be sacrificed.

Society is supposed to be participatory in order to build and maintain an egalitarian and truly democratic nation.

This most basic agora no longer exists. Karpal Singh died, convicted for sedition while defending the constitution. Teresa Kok has just been charged for sedition though the Home Ministry had admitted in March that her clip didn’t insult our “honourable” Prime Minister.

Nik Nazmi is expected to be re-charged for a breach of the Peaceful Assembly Act (though he was acquitted recently), flying in the face of the highest law of the land – our Constitution.

There’s a long, long list out there. More and more will be selectively persecuted to stifle dissent and douse out opposition. Looks like democracy is dead here, in Malaysia. The powers-that-be don’t want to hear us. Guess they are privatising discourse; only with the owners of economic power who can satiate their lust for money and power.

The corruption of the political class and gross alienation of the rakyat will cause a complete breakdown of our social fabric. We really have serious problems here, right now, in Malaysia.

I didn’t want to do this but I have to, at least try. My dear friends in PAS, you know I love you. I know just how good you can be, how selfless you are. I know you would die for me. I believe that. Just because some of us can’t embrace the reality of hudud, doesn’t mean we have opted for a life that’s less demanding and easier to practise.

In my humble opinion, it’s just that this is the 21st century and certain laws were creatures of their time, necessary but temporary. In this age and time, we need to discover a “righteousness” or perfection far more superior than the “canonists” of that time.

My dear friends in PAS, we need to be salt and light of the world. To continually enkindle in the world, the desire and struggle for true justice and perfection and not be satisfied with mediocrity.

Instead of seeking to justify one’s actions, why not seek justice for one’s neighbour? Don’t chop off his hand for stealing. Find out why he had to steal to put food on his table. Help him to put food on his table and steal no more. Clothe him when he is naked, not stone him to death. Teach him to respect and treat others the way he wants to be respected and treated, not defile his own body or others’.

My dear friends in PAS, there are many ways to rehabilitate society; not maim or kill them. We know for a fact, social ills arise from social injustice. Let’s help build a society where people are free from oppression – a kingdom of justice where God would live among His people. And because He’s present, peace would reign.

Teach people about purification of heart, of intentions and desires. That true life is elsewhere and that the true self creates itself while accepting the “mutilations” of the present life – to “sacrifice’ for the larger good.

My dear friends in PAS, we are supposed to see God at work in our lives and let others see Him, too. He is All-Loving, All-Merciful and All-Forgiving. Let your neighbour know that in spite of himself, God loves and cares for him and can overturn the situation of the oppressed.

Forgive me, my dear friends in PAS, if I have gotten it all wrong and offended you.

Those who love us will cry for us, will even die for us. Irene died. Bernard died. Karpal died. They all died, while still fighting for their neighbours.

They fought for justice for all. They died fighting because they loved their fellowmen so much. That’s what true love is all about – love till it hurts, love till you are no more. How can we ever repay those who died for us? We can’t; they are already gone. The best we can do is to remain true to their memory and legacy.

We owe it to them to embrace the spirit with which they fought. We owe it to them to continue fighting for a Malaysian sun that shines the same for everyone – a Malaysia that belongs to each and every one of us.

Let’s claim our country back. Karpalism, anyone? Karpalism, everyone?

* May Chee Chook Ying reads the Malaysian Insider.